Carved in Her Bones

First date ( now) Peters POV

It took everything in me not to slip up. I knew everything about her, even her current bank balance—exactly $10.67. I had spent precisely 11 months and 2 days watching her, but this was our first date, and I didn't want to scare her away.

Rhian had her hair in an elegant updo, after sending twelve photos to her friends Oliwia and Carol, who unanimously agreed it was the best choice for a first date. Oliwia had mentioned that an updo would give me a clear view of her delicate neck and collarbone. She was right—Rhian looked beautiful. They had opted for a short leather dress that both Oliwia and Carol said wasn't too revealing. Honestly, I would have preferred her in a burlap sack. I made a mental note to not read her texts if today went well. 

The entire ride to the restaurant was quiet, and I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. Did I look too different from my photos? I already knew she thought I was attractive from the texts she had sent her friends, but in this moment, I couldn't tell if she still felt that way.

As we arrived, I could see her eyes widen in delight as she took in the flowers and the shimmering lake. It made me smile a little; I had made an excellent choice in selecting this place. She walked ahead of me, and it took all my willpower not to look at her ass—the same ass I had fantasized about countless times. But I couldn't risk  a raging boner right now, not with the pants i was wearing.

We walked inside, where the host seated us at a small table overlooking the water, just as I had wanted. I knew I had to keep the conversation light; I couldn't risk revealing how much I knew about her. As we sat in silence, I watched her fidget, taking me in. I hoped she liked what she saw. I had worked hard for this body—days spent in the office gym and training with my personal trainer at home.

She took her time, starting at my shoulders and letting her eyes travel down to my chest. It was fun watching her blatantly check me out. Then, without warning, her hand shot out to touch my biceps. The move sent blood rushing straight to my groin. Her fingers pressed into the muscle, and she smiled a bit before realizing what she was doing and withdrawing her hand. She looked mortified and almost shouted, "I'm really sorry! I don't know what came over me. I promise, I've never done that before."

If her touch could instantly give me a boner, I wondered what that mouth around my cock would do. I chastised myself for thinking that, but here I was, sitting across from the most beautiful girl, desperately trying to calm my cock down because she had touched me. She had erased my earlier fears—she liked how I looked.

Trying to hide how that touch affected me, I cleared my throat and teased, "You can touch me all you want; I really don't mind. I just thought you might want to know my last name first."

Her eyes widened, and, fuck!, her amber eyes looked fierce in this lighting. Nearly shouting, she retorted, "I do know your last name!". I couldnt look away . I knew what i wanted, i watched her look through the menu, with her brows furrowed.

I watched her hesitate to order, and I understood why. This girl was broke. So, I ordered for her. From my research, I knew she loved Hawaiian pizza for reasons I didn't even bother to decipher, and hot wings—what her multiple photos on Instagram described as "burn-my-butt-hole spicy wings." I ordered those for her, along with cheesecake, since she liked the combination of scorching hot wings and creamy dessert. I wanted her to eat. For myself, I ordered a steak frites.

She has this way about her when she's uncertain, a nervous habit I don't think she's even aware of—she licks her lips, slowly, like she's trying to find the right words. I wonder if she realizes how much that drives a man to the edge. Her eyes darted to me, just for a second, before she returned to furiously texting on her phone. It was like she was teasing without even knowing it.